thread her way through the people, seeming to see
them through the flesh of her face and to salute them with the laugh on
her lips, but only followed on and on with helpless footsteps. They took
her to the hill above the battery, and her breath came quick as she trod
the familiar ways; but when she was come to the summit, no longer did
she exult in her lofty place and drink new life from the rush of mighty
winds about her, but only quaked like a child in terror as she faced the
world unseen beneath and hearkened to the voices rising out of it, and
heard the breeze that had once laved her cheeks now screaming in her
ears. They gave Ali's harp into her hands, the same that she had played
so strangely at the Kasbah on the marriage of Ben Aboo; but never again
as on that day did she sweep the strings to wild rhapsodies of sound
such as none had heard before and none could follow, but only touched
and fumbled them with deftless fingers that knew no music.

She lost her old power to guide her footsteps and to minister to her
pleasures and to cherish her affections. No longer did she seem to
communicate with Nature by other organs than did the rest of the human
kind. She was a radiant and joyous spirit maid no more, but only a
beautiful blind girl, a sweet human sister that was weak and faint.

Nevertheless, Israel recked nothing of her weakness, for joy at the loss
of those powers over which his enemies throughout seventeen evil years
had bleated and barked "Beelzebub!" And if God in His mercy had taken
the angel out of his house, so strangely gifted, so strangely joyful,
He had given him instead, for the hunger of his heart as a man, a sweet
human daughter, however helpless and frail.

Thus in the first days of Naomi's great change Israel was content. But
day by day this contentment left him, and he was haunted by strange
sinkings of the heart. Naomi's frailty appeared to be not only of the
body but also of the spirit. It seemed as if her soul had suddenly
fallen asleep. She betrayed neither joy nor sorrow. No sound escaped her
lips; no thought for herself or for others seemed to animate her. She
neither laughed nor wept. When Israel kissed her pale brow, she did not
stretch out her arms as she had done before to draw down his head to her
lips. Calmly, silently, sadly, gracefully, she passed from day to day,
without feeling and without thought--a beautiful statue of flesh and
blood.

What God was doing with her slumberin